Method for detaching a hypodermic needle threadably engaged to a syringe

ABSTRACT

A needle removal/containment and transport apparatus for potentially injurious medical implements. The needle removal device portion comprises a plate member formed with a first receiving slot, and an integral needle engaging member comprising a pair of opposed finger members integrated with a base member to form a stepped slot providing a second receiving slot and a contiguous engaging slot. The first receiving slot is laterally aligned with the second receiving slot at an elevation generally higher with respect thereto. The needle hub is slidably translated through the second receiving slot into engagement with the needle removal device via the engaging slot whereupon the syringe can be rotated relative to the needle hub to unthread the needle from the syringe. The unthreaded needle and syringe are then removed from the engaging slot and translated through the second receiving slot and into the first receiving slot such that the needle hub is dispose on the underside of the plate member permitting the needle to drop into the container. In the event the needle has not been fully unthreaded from the syringe or in the case of a multi-sample needle where the needle can hang-up within the syringe, the needle hub will engage the underside of the plate member in response to upward forces applied to the syringe to act as a stop preventing the needle from being pulled out of the removal device.

This is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/423,977,filed 10/19/89.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to devices for safelydisassembling, collecting and storing the needle and syringe portions ofhypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and, more particularly, to a needleremoval/containment and transport apparatus for the safe detachment,storage and ultimate disposal of such implements, as well as otherpotentially injurious or contaminated implements such as used scalpelblades, and the like, which pose a risk of causing infection or evendisease by exposure to such implements.

With the advent of disposable medical implements such as surgical tools,hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and other sharp implements, a needhas developed for ways to safely store, and safely handle for disposal,such implements after use without risk of exposing people to injury,infection or disease by improper handling, until proper disposal can bemade. The tragic outbreak of the highly contagious AIDS disease hasdramatically highlighted the need for safer handling, storage anddisposal of such implements.

In the case of disposable hypodermic needles, it had been commonpractice to break or cut the needles prior to discarding the needle andsyringe in order to reduce the size of the overall needle/syringe deviceand to eliminate the sharp point from the needle to reduce the risk ofinjury which might otherwise result from handling. In breaking orcutting the needles, however, a substantial danger exists of accidentalpuncture during the breaking or cutting operation, thus exposing theholder to possible injury and, further, to possible infection or diseaseas a result of such puncture. In addition, any residual medication inthe needle can splatter onto the person or his clothes and there is afurther danger that potentially harmful fumes can be inhaled. The bladesof the cutting tool also become a breeding ground for germs, bacteriaand other disease-causing micro-organisms to which the unsuspectingperson cutting the needle is unnecessarily exposed.

Recently, an even greater danger has been recognized in connection withthe handling and dismantling of used needles and other sharp medicalimplements. It is now recognized that certain diseases, most notablyHepatitis B, can be transmitted by covert percutaneous--i.e., by merelycontacting the contaminated needle or implement.

As a result of the foregoing dangers, the preferred current practice isto dispose of such devices intact, without dismantling them. Often,hypodermic needles are re-capped after use with the protective sheathsused during shipment from the manufacturer, in order to prevent injurywhile carrying the device to a suitable disposal unit. This practiceitself, however, often results in puncture wounds suffered whilere-capping the needle point. Because of this danger, it is nowrecommended that needles not be re-sheathed after use.

In response to the foregoing dangers, various proposals have beenadvanced for eliminating some of the risks involved in the handling,storage, and disposal of hypodermic needles and other sharp medicalimplements, including (1) devices capable of removing the needle fromits syringe after use and safely storing it for ultimate disposal, asidentified, for example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,013, and (2)specially designed containers for storing the used implements, includingpending patent application Ser. No. 344,466.

Even with the advantages achieved by my previous containers and needleremoval device, however, there is still a need for continued improvementin safety and economy in the medical waste disposal industry, especiallywith regard to high volume medical waste generators such as hospitals.For example, although my previously discussed needle removal deviceovercomes virtually all of the aforesaid dangers, it is relativelycompact in size to facilitate easy transport on the person of the userand requires being deposited in another larger storage container fortransport to ultimate disposal.

Although my previously mentioned containers also overcome virtually allof the aforesaid dangers associated with the use and disposal ofneedle/syringe devices, they too have certain limitations. For example,plastic containers may be susceptible to breaking or shattering ifinadvertantly dropped, especially after prolonged exposure to extremecold. Moreover, containers made from injection molded plastics becomeexcessively expensive when manufactured in larger sizes. The cost of theinjection mold alone for containers having volumes of 5 gallons orgreater has discouraged manufacturers from making such containers. Eventhe manufacturing cost of non-injection molded plastic containersincreases tremendously with increasing container volume.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved storage receptacle and transport apparatus for the storageand disposal of hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpels and other sharpor pointed implements which pose a health risk by reason of injury,puncture or even mere contact. It is another object of the presentinvention to provide a new and improved storage receptacle and transportapparatus for such potentially injurious implements, wherein thereceptacle is resistant to cracking, shattering and puncture by theimplements retained therein, and wherein the transport apparatus permitsconvenient and complete disposal of the implements together with thereceptacle.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved storage receptacle and transport apparatus for potentiallyinjurious implements, which is compact, lightweight, and can beconveniently transported from place to place as well as transported toultimate disposal even when the receptacle is filled to capacity withthe used implements. It is also an object of the invention to provide anew and improved storage receptacle and transport apparatus for storageand disposal of potentially injurious implements, which is adapted foruse by high volume medical waste generators, thus eliminating the needfor a separate larger storage receptacle.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a new andimproved storage receptacle and transport apparatus for potentiallyinjurious implements, which includes a new and improved needle removaldevice adapted to detach hypodermic needles threadably engaged to asyringe body via a needle hub member by fixedly engaging the hub member,and deposit them into the storage receptacle while substantiallypreventing contaminating contact between the used needle and the user ofthe device.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a new andimproved needle removal device which is adapted to insure completedisengagement between the needle and syringe portions of hypodermicneedle/syringe assemblies in the event the user fails to completelythreadably disengage the needle and syringe when using the device, or,in the case of multi-sample needles, where the needle portion disposedwithin the syringe causes the needle to "hang-up" in the syringe.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a new andimproved storage receptacle and transport apparatus for storingpotentially injurious implements, wherein the used syringe devices (aswell as other implements) can be conveniently and safely deposited intothe receptacle after disengagement from the corresponding needles. It isyet another object of the invention to provide such a storage receptacleand transport apparatus which facilitates a person's ability to easilyrecognize when the receptacle has been filled to its intended capacity.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a new and improvedstorage receptacle and transport apparatus wherein the implements arereceived and stored in a drum-type container made from a substantiallyrigid fibreboard material and wherein the container is placed within acorrugated paperboard housing which is permanently sealable such thatthe entire device can be conveniently transported to ultimate disposal.In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a plastic bagsurrounding the container within the housing to provide a triple layerof protection against potential contaminating contact with theimplements stored within the container.

The foregoing specific objects and advantages of the invention areillustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention andare not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantageswhich can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the description herein or can belearned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or asmodified in view of any variations which may be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in thenovel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvementsherein shown and described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention comprises a needleremoval/containment and transport apparatus for safe storage anddisposal of hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and other potentiallyinjurious medical implements, generally comprising (1) a corrugatedpaperboard storage and transport housing; (2) a substantially rigidfibreboard storage container slidably inserted within the housing forreceiving and storing the implements; (3) a plastic bag surrounding thecontainer to catch and retain any residual liquid which may remain inthe used implements and which may leak through the container; (4) aneedle removal device mounted on the container for threadablydisengaging hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and depositing theneedles into the container; and (5) entry means formed on the containerwith releasably insertable plug means for depositing implements such assyringes, scalpels, etc. into the container.

Accordingly to one specific aspect of the invention, the storage andtransport housing is formed in a generally rectangular configuration,and is provided with a pair of carrying handles defined by slots withinthe housing sidewalls so that the housing can be easily moved from placeto place. To secure the container within the housing after the containerhas been filled to capacity with the used implements, the housing isprovided with a cover member flexibly connected to the upper horizontaledge of the rear facing sidewall thereof in hinge-like fashion. Thecover comprises a base portion proportioned to completely cover thehousing opening, and a flap portion which extends from the front edge ofthe base portion and is flexibly connected thereto in hinge-likefashion.

As preferably embodied, the housing cover flap is formed with a pair ofopposed projecting tabs which are slidably frictionally inserted into apair of receiving slots formed in the front sidewall of the housing tosecure the cover over the housing opening. Also, the inside of the flapis provided with adhesive strips which can be pressed against the frontsidewall of the housing to adhere the flap to the sidewall.Advantageously, the rear sidewall of the housing is formed with a pairof receiving slots which are proportioned similarly to the slots in thefront sidewall. The hinge-like connections between the cover and rearsidewall of the housing, and between the cover and the cover flap, allowthe cover to be bent backwards and the flap bent inwardly towards therear sidewall so that the projecting tabs can be frictionally insertedinto the rear sidewall slots to secure the cover to the housing, out ofthe way of the container when the container is in use.

To effectively permanently seal the container within the housing, thehousing is preferably provided with a pair of protective flaps flexiblyconnected in hinge-like fashion to the two sidewalls of the housingconnecting the front and rear sidewalls. As here embodied, each flap isformed with an arm member flexibly connected in hinge-like fashion toone of the connecting sidewalls, and a base member flexibly connected inhinge-like fashion to the corresponding arm member. Each base member isproportioned to essentially the size of the housing opening and isprovided with a square opening therewithin generally smaller in sizethan the housing opening. The flexible connections between the armmembers and their respective sidewall members and between the basemembers and their respective arm members allow the protective flaps tobe folded into the housing opening, one over the other, to align theopenings and permit access to the container therethrough. The openingsin the protective flaps are proportioned relative to the housing openingso as to permit normal operation of the needle removal device and plugmember (described below), and such that the edges of the base membersdefining the flap openings provide a protective lip over any portions ofthe housing opening left exposed after the container is placedtherewithin. To seal the container within the housing, the flaps areglued together upon being folded into the housing, or can be formed withadhesive strips to adhere one to the other.

According to another specific aspect of the invention, the containercomprises a body member having an open end and a closed end and a coverreleasably retained over the body. For ease and economy of fabrication,and to facilitate easy and safe transport of the needle/removalcontainment device, the container preferably has about a six galloncapacity which can hold about 1,000 multi-sample needles. The containercover is formed with an entry port provided with a releasably insertableplug device for purposes of depositing used syringes, scalpels and thelike into the container for disposal. As preferably embodied, the plugdevice comprises a plug body providing a flange member, a shaft memberconnected to the plug body, and a knob connected to the shaft member.The flange, which is generally wider than the entry port in the cover,acts as a stop to prevent the plug from falling into the container. Toprevent the plug from being inadvertantly detached from the container, agenerally L-shaped retaining wire is provided which is connected to theplug shaft via a hooked end portion and is formed with a cork-screw-likeend portion at the free end thereof. The cork-screw-like end portion isinserted into the container via a small eyelet opening in the containercover. The L-shaped configuration of the wire allows the plug to pivotabout the entry port, while the cork-screw end portion of the wireprevents the wire from being removed from the eyelet opening while theplug is being handled by the user.

According to another aspect of the invention, a needle removal device isfixedly attached to the container cover over an opening formed in thecover for purposes of safely removing used needles from multi-sample andsingle sample needle syringe devices and depositing them into thecontainer. As here embodied, the needle removal device comprises adisc-like plate member formed with a generally U-shaped receiving slotand an integral needle hub engaging member canted downwardly from theplate member into the container. The needle hub engaging membercomprises a base portion formed integrally with a pair of opposed fingermembers. The base portion and finger members define a stepped needlereceiving/engaging slot comprising a generally rectangular shaped slotportion and a generally U-shaped slot portion formed contiguoustherewith. According to the invention, the base member slot and theU-shaped slot portion of the needle receiving/engaging slot aredimensioned so that the needle hub collars of most conventionalmulti-sample and single sample needle/syringe assemblies can be easilyslidably received therewithin and extracted therefrom. Moreover, and aspreferably embodied, the rectangular shaped slot portion of the needlereceiving/engaging slot is dimensioned such that the edges of engagingmember 42 forming the slot can frictionally engage the needle hub tohold the needle/syringe device in place and thereby facilitate thedisengaging process between the needle and syringe.

To operate the needle removal device, a needle/syringe assembly isinserted into the rectangular portion of the needle receiving/engagingslot, needle end first, so that the needle passes through the slot intothe container and the disc member formed on the needle hub rests on thefinger members. By application of light finger pressure by the user, theneedle/syringe device is slid through the needle receiving/engaging slotuntil the needle hub is frictionally engaged within the U-shaped portionthereof. The user then rotates the syringe counterclockwise to unthreadthe syringe from the needle hub. The user next applies light fingerpressure to the syringe to disengage the needle hub from the U-shapedslot portion and slide the needle back through the rectangular slotportion and into the plate member slot. The inwardly canted surface ofthe needle hub engaging member relative to the plate member causes theentire needle hub, including the disc member, to slide under the edgesof the plate member which define the plate member slot, and therebypermit the needle to drop into the container. Because the diameter ofthe needle hub disc is larger than the width of the plate member slot,the disc acts as an obstructing collar when the syringe is raisedupwardly to prevent the needle from being accidently removed from theslot in the event the needle hub has not been fully unthreaded from thecollar, or, in the case of multi-sample needles, in the event that therubber cover conventionally provided over the needle portion within thesyringe causes the needle to "hang-up" in the collector.

According to another aspect of the invention, the needleremoval/containment and transport apparatus is provided with means forinsuring that residual liquid that may remain in a used needle orsyringe deposited in the container does not leak through the containerand the housing. As here embodied, the container is placed within aplastic bag prior to placement of the container within the housing. Thetop end of the bag is pulled through the openings in the protectiveflaps of the housing and draped over the top of the housing's sidewalls.When the apparatus is ready to be transported to disposal, the portionsof the bag overlapping the housing's sidewalls are gathered up and tiedtogether with a twist-tie device. The housing cover can then be securedclosed over the housing as described above, and the entire devicetransported to disposal.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoingbrief description and the following detailed description are exemplaryand explanatory of the present invention, but are not intended to berestrictive thereof or limiting of the advantages which can be achievedby the invention. Thus, the accompanying drawings, referred to hereinand constituting a part thereof, illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explainthe principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the needleremoval/containment and transport apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 showing theprotective cover flaps for the transport housing of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showingoperation of the stopper plug component of the invention.

FIG. 2A is a partial isometric view of the stopper plug of FIG. 2showing the plug securement member of the invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial side views of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showingoperation of the plastic bag component of the invention.

FIG. 4A is an isometric view showing the back side apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the needle removaldevice of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a side view through Section 5A--5A of the needle removaldevice shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a side view through Section 5A--5A showing operation of theneedle removal device of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6A is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the needleremoval device of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a isometric view showing an alternative embodiment of theneedle removal device of FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the needle removal device of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of theneedle removal device of FIGS. 1 and 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout the various views, there isshown in FIGS. 1-9 the preferred embodiments of the needleremoval/containment and transport apparatus for potentially injuriousmedical implements (indicated generally at 10) of the present invention.As herein embodied, apparatus 10 generally comprises (1) a storage andtransport housing 12, (2) a storage container 14 slidably insertedwithin housing 12 for receiving and storing used medical implements, (3)a plastic bag 25 surrounding container 14 to catch and retain anyresidual liquid which may remain in the used implements and which mayleak through the container, (4) a needle removal device 40 mounted oncontainer 14 for removing used single or multi-sample needles from theirsyringes and depositing them into the container, and (5) an entry port14b formed on container 14 and provided with a releasably insertableplug device 16 for depositing syringes, scalpels, etc., into thecontainer.

According to the invention, housing 12 is formed in a generallyrectangular configuration, comprising sidewall members 12a, 12b, 12c and12d, and bottom wall member 12e, which are structurally integrated toform an opening 12f at the top end of the housing. As preferablyembodied, housing 12 is constructed from a lightweight, corrugatedpaperboard material having a sidewall and bottom wall thickness of atleast about 1/8 inch. The housing is provided with a pair of carryinghandles defined by slots 33 and 34 formed in sidewall 12b and 12c,respectively, so that the housing can be easily moved from place toplace. As here embodied, housing 12 may, for example, be a stand-alonepaperboard carton of the type manufactured by Greis Bros. Corporation.

Advantageously, housing 12 is proportioned to an overall height of about261/2 inches, which enables it to accommodate the height of fibreboardcontainers preferably used in the practice of the invention (seediscussion below) ranging in capacity from 1 to 55 gallons, and whichwill be a comfortable height for most users. Of course, the size ofhousing opening 12f will vary in accordance with the volume of container14. (For example, for a 6 gallon container, opening 12f shouldpreferably be about 115/8 inches square). For containers having acapacity of 12 gallons or less, the same overall height of housing 12can be maintained by gluing a false bottom 13 into the housing, formedfrom a base 13a and two sidepanels 13b, upon which the container cansit. (It will be understood by those skilled in the art that commercialfibreboard drums having capacities between 1 and 12 gallons aremanufactured with generally equivalent heights).

To secure housing 12 closed for transport to disposal after container 14has been filled to capacity with the used medical implements, housing 12is provided with a cover 26 flexibly connected to the upper horizontaledge 12d-d of sidewall 12d in hinge-like fashion. As here embodied,cover 26 comprises a base portion 26a proportioned to completely coveropening 12f in housing 12, and a flap portion 26b which extends from thefront edge of base 26a and is flexibly connected thereto in hinge-likefashion. Flap 26b is formed with a pair of opposed projecting tabs 27and 28, which can be slidably frictionally inserted into receiving slots31 and 32, respectively, formed on sidewall 12a of the housing, tosecure the cover over opening 12f.

To further secure cover 26 over opening 12f, the back of flap 26b isprovided with a pair of generally rectangular adhesive strips 26c and26d, each covered by a removable tape 26e. Adhesive strip 26c ispreferably located at about the center of flap 26b and adhesive strip26d is preferably formed over the hinge-like connection between the flapand cover 26. When the tape is removed from strips 26c and 26d, thestrips can be pressed against sidewall 12a by finger pressure applied tothe front of flap 26b to adhere the flap to the sidewall. As preferablyembodied, sidewall 12d is formed with receiving slots 29 and 30 whichare proportioned similarly to slots 31 and 32. The hinge-likeconnections between cover 26 and sidewall 12d of housing 12, and betweenflap 26b and cover 26, allow the cover to be bent backward, and flap 26bto be bent inwardly toward sidewall 12d, so that tabs 27 and 28 can befrictionally inserted into slots 29 and 30, respectively, to secure thecover to the housing, out of the way of the container when the containeris in use.

To effectively permanently seal container 14 inside housing 12, thehousing is preferably provided with a pair of protective flaps 35 and36. As here embodied, each flap is formed with an arm member (35a, 36a)flexibly connected in hinge-like fashion to horizontal upper edges 12b-band 12c-c of sidewalls 12b and 12c, respectively, and a base member(35b, 36b) of generally square configuration flexibly connected inhinge-like fashion to the corresponding arm member. According to theinvention, each base member (35, 36) is proportioned to essentially thesize of opening 12f, and is provided with a square opening therewithin(35c and 36c) generally smaller in size than opening 12f. The flexibleconnections between arm members 35a, 36a and their respective sidewallmembers, and between base members 35b, 36b and their respective armmembers, allow the protective flaps to be folded into opening 12f ofhousing 12, one over the other, to align openings 35c, 36c and permitaccess to container 14 through the aligned openings. Openings 35c, 36care proportioned relative to opening 12f so as to permit normaloperation of plug member 16 and needle removal device 40 (described indetail below), and such that the edges of base members 35, 36 formingthe respective openings 35c, 36c provide a protective lip over anyportions of opening 12f left exposed after container 14 is placedtherewithin. To seal container 14 inside housing 12, flaps 35, 36 arepreferably glued together when folded into the housing. Alternatively,the flaps may each be provided with adhesive strips (not shown) alongthe bottom surfaces thereof so that they can be adhered together whenfolded inside housing 12.

To collect the used medical implements, the present invention furtherprovides, as preferably embodied, a drum-type container 14 constructedfrom a substantially rigid fibreboard material, which may be, forexample, of the type manufactured by Foremost Corrugated Company, Inc.As here embodied, container 14 is slidably insertable within housing 12through opening 12f and comprises a body member 14a having an open endand a closed end and a cover 14b releasably retained over the body.Although any size and configuration drum-type container may be used inthe practice of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that fibreboard drums, which are most preferred, generally haveeither a circular or square open end and are most readily commerciallyavailable in sizes up to 55 gallons. For ease and economy offabrication, and to facilitate easy and safe transport of device 10 toultimate disposal when container 14 is full, it is preferred that thecontainer have about a 6 gallon capacity (which as those skilled in theart will readily understand can hold about 1000 multi-sample needles),with about a 10 inch diameter, and a height of about 191/2 inches.

To safely remove used needles from multi-sample and single sampleneedle/syringe devices and deposit the needles into container 14, thepresent invention provides a needle removal device 40 fixedly attachedto cover 14b over an entry port 14c formed in the cover. As hereembodied, needle removal device 40 comprises a disc-like plate member 41formed with a generally U-shaped receiving slot 43, and an integralneedle hub engaging member 42 canted downwardly from plate member 41 soas to communicate with the interior of container 14. Needle hub engagingmember 42 comprises a base portion 42a formed integrally with a pair ofopposed finger members 42b and 42c. Base 42a and finger members 42b and42c define a stepped needle receiving and engaging slot 44 comprising agenerally rectangular shaped slot portion 44a and a generally U-shapedslot portion 44b formed contiguous therewith.

As here embodied, needle removal device 40 is preferably fabricated froman injected molded thermo-plastic material but can be fabricated fromother materials as desired, including being stamped into a piece ofmetal such as tin, aluminum, or the like. Moreover, the needle removaldevice can be attached to cover 14b of container 14 in any conventionalmanner to ensure a secure attachment which will not loosen during longperiods of use. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, plate member 41 can beformed with holes 45 and 46 for attachment to cover 14 via rivet-typeconnection or other suitable fastener.

According to the invention, slots 43 and 44a of device 40 are preferablydimensioned to a width of about 0.200 inches and a length of about 0.250inches so that the needle hub collars of most conventional multi-sampleand single sample needle/syringe assemblies can be easily slidablyreceived therewithin and extracted therefrom. Also, as preferablyembodied, slot 44b is dimensioned to a length of about 0.250 inches anda width of about 0.150 inches to slidably receive the needle hubs andsuch that the edges of engaging member 42 forming the slot 44bfrictionally engage the needle hub to hold the needle/syringe device inplace and thereby facilitate the disengaging process between the needleand syringe (fully described below). Advantageously, and as preferablyembodied, the entire device 40 is of a relatively compact size, havingan overall diameter of 2.25 inches. It should be clear to those skilledin the art that the circular disc configuration of device 40 depicted inthe drawings should not be limiting of the invention. For example,device 40 can be fabricated with a square, rectangular or other suitableconfiguration with no effect on the operation of the device.

Operation of needle removal device 40 is straightforward. FIG. 6illustrates the operation of needle removal device 40 for a conventionalmulti-sample needle/syringe assembly 50 comprising a vacuum tubecollector-type syringe body 53 threadably engaged with the needle hub 52of a multi-sample needle member 51. Needle 51 is formed with a firstportion 51a exiting syringe 53 and a second portion 51b located withinthe syringe and provided with a rubber cover 51c. (The operation ofdevice 40 with respect to conventional threaded single sampleneedle/syringe assemblies is identical). According to the invention,needle/syringe assembly 50 is inserted into slot 44a of device 40 untilportion 51a of needle 51 passes through the slot and into container 14and disc member 52a formed on the needle hub rests on finger members 42aand 42b (as here embodied, the diameter of disc 52a will generally belarger than the width of both slots 44a and 44b). By the application oflight finger pressure, assembly 50 is next slid through slot 44a andinto slot 44b such that hub 52 is frictionally engaged by the edges ofmember 42 defining slot 44b, and held in place within the slot.

At this point, the user rotates syringe 53 counterclockwise to unthreadthe syringe from the needle hub. Because the diameter of disc 52a islarger than the width of slot 44b, the disc acts as a stop to preventdisengagement of hub 52 from slot 44b due to downward forces which maybe applied when unthreading the hub and syringe. Although unthreadedfrom the needle hub, the syringe at this point is not fully disengagedfrom the needle. Rather, the user next applies light finger pressure tosyringe 53 to disengage needle hub 52 from slot 44b and slide the needleback through slot 44a and into slot 43. The inwardly canted surface ofneedle engaging member 42 relative to plate member 41 causes the entireneedle hub 52, including disc member 52a, to slide under the edges ofplate member 41 which define slot 43. In this position, needle 51 cansafely drop into container 14. Like its relationship with slot 44, disc52a is larger in diameter than the width of slot 43. Thus, disc 52a actsas an obstructing collar in response to upward forces applied to syringe53 to prevent the needle from being accidently removed from slot 43 inthe event the hub has not been fully unthreaded from the syringe, or inthe event that the rubber cover 51c on needle portion 51b causes theneedle to "hang-up" in the syringe. If the hub and syringe have not beenfully unthreaded, they can be translated back into slot 44 to re-engagethe hub with slot portion 44b.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 7, 8, and 9, there are shown alternateembodiments of the needle removal device of the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 6A, by providing a U-shaped sidewall 41a disposeddownwardly through plate member 41 to connect needle engaging member 42to the plate member, the needle engaging member can be recessed intoplate member 41 in parallel therewith. In operation, this embodiment ofneedle removal device 40 functions exactly the same as the embodimentdescribed above and illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5A and 6.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, device 40 can be fabricated as a needleremoval insert 60 for insertion in any conventional can or container. Ashere embodied, device 40 is recessed into a flange member 61, which isfabricated from a resiliently yieldable plastic material and comprisesan integral lip member 62 and collar member 63. Collar member 63 isformed with a pair of snap-in tabs 64 and 65 which project therefrom. Ashere embodied, lip 61 is integrated with a cover member 66 so as to forma "living hinge" connection therebetween. According to the invention,insert 60 is forced into a circular opening 70 formed in a can orcontainer which is slightly smaller in diameter than collar 63 measuredacross the projecting length of snap-in tabs 64 and 65. As hereembodied, the insertion force exerted on insert 60 will cause the cantedsurfaces 64a and 64b of tabs 64 and 65 to bear upon the edges of thecontainer defining opening 70. This in turn will cause the collar 63 toresiliently yield inward and slide into opening 70. When the containeris filled with used needles and ready for disposal, cover 66 is placedover flange 61, pressed downward, and snapingly engaged therewith via alocking member 67 formed on the cover.

As shown in FIG. 9, the needle removal device 40 can also be stampedinto the top of a metal can 80. A reversible lid 81, preferablyfabricated from a lightweight, flexible plastic, is placed over thebottom of the can when the needle removal device is in use. When the canis filled to capacity and ready for disposal, the lid is removed fromthe can bottom and fitted over the top of the can to cover the needleremoval device.

To deposit and collect the used syringes within container 14 after theneedles have been removed therefrom, the present invention provides aplug device 16 insertable within an opening 14d formed in containercover 14b. As preferably embodied, plug 16 comprises a plug body 17providing a flange member 20, a shaft member 19 connected to the plugbody, and a knob 18 connected to the shaft member, all formed from asubstantially rigid molded plastic material. As shown in FIG. 2, whenplug 16 is inserted into opening 14d, flange 20, which is generallywider than opening 14d, acts as a stop to prevent the plug from fallinginto the container. Plug 16 can be removed from opening 14b and placedon top of cover 14b so that used syringes which have been removed fromtheir respective needle elements can be deposited into the containerthrough opening 14d. As preferably embodied, opening 14b is dimensionedto a diameter of about 33/8" so as to easily accommodate any sizesyringe device, as well as other used medical implements such asscalpels and the like, and to facilitate a person's ability to easilyrecognize when the container is filled to its intended capacity.

When plug 16 is inserted into opening 14d, the top of knob 18 is evenwith the top of housing 12, thus enabling the housing to be closed, whenplug 16 is placed on top of cover 14b, the top of knob 18 is higher thanthe top of housing 12, which will prevent the housing from being closed.This insures that the user of the apparatus 10 will insert plug 16 intoopening 14d before closing and transporting the housing. Advantageously,the present invention provides means for preventing plug 16 frominadvertantly being detached from container 14. According to theinvention, plug member 16 is provided with a generally L-shapedretaining wire 21 having a first leg member 21a connected to shaft 19via hooked end portion 22, and a second leg member 21b formed with acork-screw-like end portion 23 at the free end thereof. End portion 23is inserted into container 14 via a small eyelet opening 14e formed incover 14b. As here embodied, the L-shaped configuration of wire 21allows plug 16 to pivot about opening 14b when removed therefrom, whilethe cork-screw configuration of end portion 23 prevents the wire frombeing removed from opening 14e while the plug is being handled by theuser.

As here embodied, plug member 16 is provided with a clip member 90 tosecurely retain the plug within opening 14d formed in cover 14b. Aspreferably embodied, clip member 90 comprises a base member 91 pivotallyconnected to cover 14b via screw 93 (or other suitable fastener), and anintegral finger member 92. According to the invention, by graspingfinger 92 and urging it to the right or left, clip member 90 can bepivoted about screw 93. To secure plug 16 within cover opening 14d, theclip is pivoted so that finger 92 engages flange 20. The engagingsurface of finger 92 is positioned relative to flange 20 so as tofrictionally engage, and thereby bear upon, the flange to hold plugmember 16 in place. When plug member 16 is to be removed from opening14d, clip 90 is pivoted via finger 92 so as to disengage the finger fromflange 20.

Because housing 12 and container 14 are, as preferably embodied,respectively constructed from paperboard and fibreboard materials, theyare not leakproof. Accordingly, the present invention provides means forinsuring that residual liquid that may remain in a used needle orsyringe deposited in container 14 does not leak through the containerand the housing. As here embodied, container 14 is placed in a plasticbag 25 prior to placement of the container within housing 12.Preferably, bag 25 should made from a polyethylene material having athickness of about 3 one-thousanths of an inch.

When apparatus 10 is in use, cover 26 of housing 12 is folded back andtabs 27 and 28 are inserted into slots 29 and 30 on housing sidewall12d. The open end of bag 25 is pulled through the openings in protectiveflaps 35, 36 and draped over the top of sidewalls 12a-12d and a portionof cover 26 (see FIG. 1). Preferably, bag 25 should be long enough sothat the portions folded over the housing sidewalls cover slots 31 and32 and handles 33 and 34. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when apparatus 10is ready to be transported to disposal, the portions of bag 25overlapping sidewalls 12a-12d are gathered up and tied together to closethe bag, preferably with a standard twist-tie device as illustrated inthe drawings by reference numeral 25a. Cover 26 can then be securedclosed over the housing by removing tabs 27 and 28 from slots 29 and 30,folding the cover over opening 12f, inserting tabs 27 and 28 into slots31 and 32 in sidewall 12a, and pressing adhesive strip 26c and 26dagainst sidewall 12a.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the presentinvention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particularembodiments shown and described herein, and that variations may be madewhich are within the scope of the accompanying claims without departingfrom the principle of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for detaching a hypodermic needlethreadably engaged to a syringe body via a needle hub member, and safelystoring the detached needle for disposal, comprising the stepsof:inserting the needle into a first needle receiving slot formed in aneedle removal device affixed to a container providing first entry meansin communication with said needle removal device; engaging said needlehub member with said needle removal device by slidably translating saidneedle hub member through said first receiving slot into a needleengaging slot formed contiguously with said first needle receiving slot;rotating the syringe body to threadably detach the syringe body from theneedle; and removing the detached needle and syringe body from saidneedle engaging slot and slidably translating them back through saidfirst needle receiving slot into a second needle receiving slot formedin said needle removal device at a generally higher elevation withrespect to said first needle receiving slot to position the needle hubmember on the underside of the needle removal device and permit theneedle to drop into said container through said first entry means.
 2. Amethod according to claim 1, which further comprises, after the needleis dropped into said container, the step of depositing the syringe bodyinto said container through second entry means formed therein.
 3. Amethod according to claim 2, which further comprises, after the syringebody is deposited into said container, the step of securely closing saidsecond entry means by releasably inserting plug means thereinto.
 4. Amethod according to claim 3, which further comprises, after the steps ofdepositing the needle and syringe body into said container, securelytying closed plastic bag means provided around said container.
 5. Amethod according to claim 4, which further comprises, after the bagtying step, the step of securely closing cover means over a housingwhich surrounds said container and said plastic bag means to secure saidcontainer and plastic bag means within said housing.